[jonp]

Originally Posted by ajritter04

No signs, exempt or otherwise, or really any way to tell there is a set of tracks there except for the tracks themselves. The tracks have obviously not been used in a looooooooong time, but there are still tracks there.

Personally, I've never stopped at that crossing due to the fact that the chance of a train coming down those tracks is about as good as my dog successfully running for president. It is in an industrial area and NMDOT likes to hang out on some of the roads near there and hit up the dirt / rock haulers to see what they can be fined with.

"But sir, ain't no choo-choo been down them tracks in years." :lol:

Please, Please run your dog for President this year. He would be better than both of the choices we have right now.

[jonp]

I'm going to say that you should take a little time and find out who owns the tracks and talk to them about whether it is an active set of tracks or not. If not, ask them to put up a sign saying exempt or not in use or something like that.

[Fredog]

Originally Posted by classB

FYI... lots of train crossings now have cameras. So if you cross without stopping they can send the $500 ticket in the mail. And all trains have camera's taking video.

And make sure to cross in the lowest gear. You don't want to stall while on the tracks.

it's not 500 bucks anymore, it's automatic disqualification

[belpre122]

Originally Posted by Fredog

it's not 500 bucks anymore, it's automatic disqualification

That has been my understanding also Fredog. The fines, etc., aside. Disregarding a RR crossing is not a CMV suspension, but a CMV disqualification. Is that how you understand the reg also Fredog?

That's how it is explained to me?

[Orangetxguy]

Originally Posted by belpre122

That has been my understanding also Fredog. The fines, etc., aside. Disregarding a RR crossing is not a CMV suspension, but a CMV disqualification. Is that how you understand the reg also Fredog?

That's how it is explained to me?

That's pretty much the deal. It is important for a driver to communicate abandoned crossing such as the OP has asked about, to local authorities, the company he/she drives for, as well as the listed Rail Compnay owner.

If you are aware of a "controlled crossing", where you know that the crossing arms regularly fail and remain in the down position, blocking one or both directions of travel, after the signal lights have stopped, or if you know of a lighted only crossing, at which the lights and bells continue to run, sometimes for hours...stopping and calling the 800 number posted at the crossing, and reporting that location, can save you plenty of trouble.

Each crossing has a location number posted under the cross bucks.

I made one such call three weeks ago in Columbus GA. The lights were running at an industrial crossing, when I reached them at 2 AM. When I exited the plant at 7 AM, into which I had turned before crossing the tracks, the lights and bells were still running, only then, there were 3 school buses, sitting on each side of the crossing, blocking traffic.

After waiting for 5 minutes for someone to move, so I could make my right turn(narrow 2-lane street)...away from the crossing..and nobody moving, I shutdown my truck, walked up to the crossing with my cell phone, and made the call to the number posted. After explaining the problem to the operator, whom answered in a crisp clear voice on the second ring, there was a police car at the crossing within 6 minutes...the officer within which, got those buses cleared across the track and traffic moving.

Traffic was backed up over a mile each direction...yet nobody sitting right there bothered to read the signs....or even call the police department. The bus driver, whom was sitting within four feet of the sign I called the number from, had no clue that the number was even there, or what it was for........even though explained on the posting.

Few officers will ticket for crossing an abandoned rail line...but most will read the riot act for runnning a live one. There are some officers to dumb..or to lazy, to do anything.

[Fredog]

Originally Posted by belpre122

That has been my understanding also Fredog. The fines, etc., aside. Disregarding a RR crossing is not a CMV suspension, but a CMV disqualification. Is that how you understand the reg also Fredog?

That's how it is explained to me?

the way I understand it is you are disqualified from driving a commercial vehicle for no less than 60 days, you can still drive your car, but where are you going to go? not to work :sad:

[betoecko209]

i drive hazmat how do u cross railroad track in the middle of an intersection

[Useless]

Originally Posted by Fredog

the way I understand it is you are disqualified from driving a commercial vehicle for no less than 60 days, you can still drive your car, but where are you going to go? not to work :sad:

Job hunting??

[Useless]

Originally Posted by jonp

Please, Please run your dog for President this year. He would be better than both of the choices we have right now.

Does it really matte who occupies The Oval Office?? Truckers have been getting screwed since the says of deregulation. The processes of deregulation of the trucking and aviation industries began during the latter days of the Ford Administration, was further developed during the Carter Administration, and enacted during the Reagan Administration. Regardless of who was President, or which party had control of Capitol Hill, for the vast majority of trucking and aviation employees it's just been one uphill battle after another, with nothing really getting better.

Getting back on topic, where it comes to crossing RR tracks, I never bothered with guessing. Why take the risks??